Splash guard for paint rollers



Nov. 10, 1970 J. P. swam-mo ETAL l 8,

SPLASH GUARD FOR PAINT ROLLERS Filed Jan. 29, 1969 Fig] James J. Short/no Joseph P. Short/n0 I N VIiNTOK 3.

BY WW Ew United States Patent Otfice 3,538,532 Patented Nov. 10, 1970 3,538,532 SPLASH GUARD FOR PAINT ROLLERS Joseph P. Shortino, 518 N. Cable St., Lima, Ohio,

45805, and James J. Shortino, Lima, Ohio (7703 Allengrove St., Downey, Calif. 90240) Filed Jan. 29, 1969, Ser. No. 794,943 Int. Cl. B44d 3/40 US. Cl. 15.-230.11 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A contoured shield readily removably mountable on a paint roller and including an arcuate panel portion for loosely embracing somewhat less than one half the circumference of the roller portion of the paint roller. The shield is constructed for ready attachment to conventional paint rollers and in a manner whereby the opposite axial ends of the arcuate panel portion will project approximately one half inch beyond the axle ends of the associated roller portion of the paint roller.

The splash guard or shield of the instant invention is designed specifically for use on paint roller assemblies of conventional design. The shield or guard may be readily removably secured to an associated paint roller assembly without the use of tools and serves the purpose of preventing thinner paints from spinning off of the roller portion of the associated paint roller assembly onto the floor and adjacent wall portions.

Although some paints which may be applied with paint rollers are mixed and formulated so as to have a reduced tendency to be slung from a roller during roller painting operations, when novice painters are applying paint to large surface areas with rollers there is a natural tendency to push the paint roller over the surface being painted at a rapid rate. This sometimes results in the roller portion of the paint roller assembly rotating at a speed adjacent wall surfaces. suflicient to sling paint therefrom onto the floor or onto It is therefore the main object of this invention to provide a shield for disposition about one half the roller portion of a paint roller assembly for trapping and collecting paint which may have a tendency to be spun fro the associated paint roller.

Another object of this invention is to provide a splash shield or guard in accordance with the preceding object and which may be readily removably secured to conventional forms of paint roller assemblies.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a splash shield whose structural features enable it to be readily cleaned for further use at a later date.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a splash shield for a paint roller assembly which may be readily secured to existing hand-type paint roller assemblies as well as paint roller assemblies mounted on the end of a long extension handle.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a splash shield or guard in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional form of paint roller assembly with which the splash shield of the instant invention is operatively associated;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the assemblage illustrated in FIG. 1 as seen from the left side of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the back side of the splash shield.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a conventional form of paint roller assembly. The assembly 10 includes an elongated handle shan-k 12 having a handle element 14 mounted on one end thereof. The other end of the handle shank 12 terminates in a first angulated laterally directed portion 16 which in turn terminates at its free end in a second angulated portion 18 which generally parallels the handle shank 12. The free end of the second angulated portion 18 terminates in a third angulated portion 20 which generally parallels the first angulated portion 1 6 and upon which the roller portion 22' of the paint roller assembly 10 is journaled.

The splash shield of the instant invention is referred to in general by the reference numeral 24 and comprises a panel member 216 including a portion 28- defining a first elongated trough 30. The roller portion 22 is loosely embraced within the trough 30 and the panel member 26 includes a portion 32 defining an outturned flange extending along one side of the trough 30. A second outturned portion or flange 34 extends along the other side of the trough 30 and curves toward its free edge portion in the direction in which the trough 30 opens. Accordingly, the flange 34 may be seen to also define a trough 36 The juncture between the flange 3-4 and the portion 28 defines a trough 38 which opens in a direction opposite to the directions the troughs '30 and 36 open and one end edge portion of the panel member 26 has a notch 39 formed therein which opens endwise outwardly of that end of the panel member 26 and is disposed at the juncture between the portion 28 and the flange 34-.

The back side of the flange 34 has a spring clip 40 secured thereto in any convenient manner such as by fasteners 41 secured through the spring clip 40 and adjustment slots 42 formed in the flange 34, whereby the clip 40 may be shifted approximately three-fourths of an inch, if desired. Further, the spring clip 40 includes a pair of opposing spring arms 44 whose purpose will be set forth hereinafter.

The panel member 26 is of a length approximately two inches greater than the length of the roller portion 22 whereby the opposite ends of the panel member 26 project beyond the corresponding opposite ends of the roller portion 22 by approximately one inch each. As can best be seen from FIG. 1 of the drawings the paint roller assembly 10 is positioned relative to the shield 24 in a manner such that the roller portion 22 is loosely embraced in the trough 30 and the end of the second angulated portion 18 adjacent the first angulated portion 16 is seated in the slot 39. Further, the first angulated end portion 16 is seated in the trough 38 and the handle shank 12 has a portion thereof spaced from the first angulated portion 16 clamped between the spring arms 44 of the clamp assembly 40. In this manner, it will be noted that the splash shield 24 is secured to the paint roller assembly for ready removal therefrom and without the use of tools. Further, the construction of the splash shield 24 is such that it may be readily cleaned after a painting operation is completed and the opposite ends of the lower portion of the shield 24 could be provided with end flanges if it is found necessary to provide some sort of lower receptacle to trap larger quantities of paint spun from the roller portion 22.

The splash shield 24 may be constructed of any suitable material but it has been found that a material such as plastic best serves the intent of the shield in that plastic does not readily dig into wall surfaces which might accidentally be engaged by the shield 24. Further, plastic may be readily cleaned and the shield 24, if constructed of plastic, may be produced at a minimum of cost.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

.1. A splash shield for a paint roller assembly of the type including an elongated handle shank including a first angulated laterally directed portion at one end which terminates at its free end in a second angulated portion generally paralleling said shank and terminating at its end remote from said first portion in a third portion generally paralleling said first portion, disposed at generally right angles relative to said shank having a paint roller journalled thereon, said shield comprising a panel member including a portion defining a first elongated trough adapted to loosely lengthwise embrace the roller of said assembly therein, said panel member including an elongated laterally A remote from said first portion in a third portion generally paralleling said first portion, disposed at generally right angles relative to said shank having a paint roller journalled thereon, said shield comprising a panel member including a portion defining a first elongated trough loosely ing along said one side, opening outwardly in a direction directed flange extending along at least one end of one side of said trough, projecting outwardly away from said one side in a direction extending away from the center of said trough and adapted to have the end of said shank adjacent said first portion extend transversely thereover, the intersection between said flange and one side defining a second trough extending along said one side, opening outwardly in a direction generally opposite to the direction in which said first trough opens and adapted to seatingly receive said first portion therein, said panel member having a notch formed in an area thereof closely adjacent the intersection of said one side and said flange, opening outwardly of said one end of said first trough and adapte to receive the end of said second portion adjacent said first portion therethrough, said shield including means adapted to engage said shank and removably secure said shield to said'shank with said first portion seated in said second trough, said second portion extending through said notch and said first trough loosely embracing said roller.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means adapted to engage said shank comprises a spring clip supported from said panel member and adapted to removably clampingly engage said shank.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the other side of said trough includes a second outturned flange extending therealong.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the free edge portion of said flange curves toward its free terminal edge in the direction in which said first trough opens.

5. In combination with a paint roller assembly of the type including an elongated handle shank including a first angulated laterally directed portion at one end which terminates at its free end in a second angulated portion generally paralleling said shank and terminating at its end generally opposite to the direction in which said first trough opens and seatingly receiving said first portion therein, said panel member having a notch formed in an area thereof closely adjacent the intersection of said one side and said flange, opening outwardly of said one end of said first troughand receiving the end of said second portion adjacent said first portion therethrough, said shield including means engaging said shank and removably securing said shield to said shank with said first portion seated in said second trough, said second portion extending through said notch and said first trough loosely embracing said roller.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the other side of said trough includes a second outturned flange extending therealong.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the free edge portion of said flange curves toward its free terminal edge in the direction in which said first trough opens.

8. The combination of claim 5 wherein said means engaging said shank comprises a spring clip supported from said panel member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,160,570 5/1939 Welt 15-230.11 2,234,761 3/1941 Harpootlian 15230.11 2,735,128 2/1956 Adams 15230.11 2,835,915 5/1958 Pearson 15-248.1 3,029,458 4/1962 Balicki 15-230.11 3,058,145 10/1962 Hegedus 15-248.1 X 3,112,729 12/1963 Prezioso 15-230.11 3,139,891 7/1964 Faustminan 15248.l X 3,409,929 11/1968 Fisher 15-230.11 X 3,457,582 7/1969 Fisher 15248.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 547,401 5/1956 Belgium.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner L. G. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner 

